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Ten Wheelers
Ten Wheelers is the seventh episode of the first season. Plot Vito and Lucky, two Class D4 Ten Wheelers, are at Raleigh Union Station late one afternoon preparing to leave for the evening rush. The two locomotives are both hauling commuter trains, and are similarly peppy and excitable. Just before the two locomotives are due to leave, Lennox, a fast express locomotive, pulls into the station with his afternoon train. The three locomotives are good friends, and chat amiably. Their drivers do similarly, but they realize after a moment that Vito will be late. His crew climb aboard and he sets off in a hurry. Wanting to make up time, Vito's crew decide to run him at a high speed. Vito accelerates down the tracks, slowing to stop at a station. Once out of the station, Vito has to go slowly because of a damaged bridge ahead. This makes his driver even more anxious, and things are not helped when Vito picks up a train order from a station telling him to take a siding ahead in order to allow another train to pass. Vito's driver speeds him up to the maximum speed allowable, and Vito makes it to the siding several minutes earlier than he is supposed to. There he sits, waiting, a bit annoyed at having to, when a workman runs up to the train waving a red flag. Vito is surprised and his crew ask the man what the problem is. The man, out of breath, reports that the train has a 'hotbox' on their fourth coach - an overheated axle, which is very dangerous to the safety of the passengers. Vito's crew inspect the coach and determine that the man is correct, and that they will have to leave the coach in the siding and take all the passengers onto another coach. This causes a significant delay as Vito is forced to make several switching moves to cut the coach out of the train. Finally, he is able to continue on his journey, but is forced to stop again to be passed by Lucky's train which is following behind him. Annoyed, Vito takes the siding as Lucky passes him, chuckling to himself and saying that Vito 'was not such a hot rod now'. Vito is finally able to continue, completing his journey and returning to the sheds for the night, feeling quite foolish. He doesn't say anything to Lucky when he returns, being lost in his thoughts. Later, Road Foreman McKenzie arrives at the yards to speak to the engines. He tells them about the recent speeding issues and the problems they have been causing the railway. Because of these problems, McKenzie is forced to lower the speed limit for all trains out of Raleigh, thus meaning that any delay in leaving a station will have much greater effects on a train's timetable. The engines meet this news with some dismay, and both Frederick and Vito feel very ashamed, believing they are responsible.Category:Episodes Category:First Season